Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-18
A GRAND FINALE.
Continued from First Page

though ZIG pEUpSIlJ 50 toACu was ONpSN
by citizens OF other states.
The end of this war Of the Revolution,
which hsd established our entire indie
pendence of the crown OF Great Britain,
aud which had caused US to be recognized
theoretically as member Of the family OF
nations, found Us With 81 empty treasury,
an impaired credit, country drained Of
its wealth sad impoverished by the eX-
haustive struggle. 1t found Us with
large national debt to our own citizens
| and to our friends abroad, who
had loaned US their money in our des-
perate strsit; end worst of all, II found
us with an army Of unpaid patriotic SOL
diers who had endured every hardship
that our want of means could add TO the
! necessary incidents of a civil war, many
of whom had to return penniless TO fam
Ines
WHOSE CONDITION WAS PITIABLE,
For sll these evils the limited and i'm
perfect power conferred by the articles OF
confederation afforded no sdequate rene
DIV. TIL Congress, in which was vested
al the authority that those articles grant
ed to the general government, struggled
hopelessly and with constant failure from
the treaty OF peace with England, in 1888,
until the formation of the new cOnstitu-
ton. Many suggestions were made
for charging the powers CT the
federal government in regard to particular
subjects None were successful, and
more proposed the only true remedy,
namely, authority IN the national govern
ment to enforce the powers which were
entrusted to il by the articles OF CGnled-
Grafton by its own immediate and diceCt
action on the people of the states.
1t is net little remarkable that the
suggestion which finally led 80 the relief,
without which as 8 nation we must soon
have persisted, strongly supports the
philosophical maxim OF modern times
that CT all the agencies Of civilization and
progress Of the human race, commerce Is
the most efficient. What our deranged
finances, our discTeditable failure tO pGy
our debts, and the sufferings Of our sci
diers could not force the several states Cf
the American Union to attempt,
was brought about by desire
to be released from the evils
OF On unregulated and burdensome COM
mercial intercourse, both with foreign
nations and between
TIE SEVERAL STATES.
After many resolutions by state legis-
latutes which led to nothing, one was IL
tToduCed by Mr.. Madison into that OF
Virginia, and passed on the 2lSt day CT
February, 1856, which appointed Edmund
Randolph, James Madison, Jr., and SIX
others, commissioners, "to meet
such commissioners as may be eP-
pointed by other states in the Union,
st $ time and place to be agreed, to take
into consideration the trade OF the United
States; 10 examine the relative situation
and trade Of the said states; to consider
how far g Uniform system IN their CON
merciaI regulations may be necessary to
their common interest and their perm2n-
ent harmony"
This committee was directed TO trans
nit copies CT the resolution to the several
states, with letter respecting their cor
currence, and proposing time and plaC
for the meeting. The time agreed upon
was in September, 1856. and the place
wss Annapolis. Nine states appointed
delegates, but those Of five
states only attended. These were New
York, New Jersey, Pennsyivanis, Viz
GINA, and Delaware. -Four other states
appointed delegates who, for various rea-
sons, did not appear, or came too late
OF course such = convention SIS this could
do little but make recommendations
What it did YVES to suggest convention
CT delegates from all the states, ''tO de-
wise such further provisions as might ep
pear TO be necessary TO render the con-
stitution OF the federal government sde
quate 10 the eXigenCieS OF the Union" i
: also proposed that whatever should Il
agreed upon by SUCH q convention should
be reported TO Congress, and COnfrmeC
: by the Legislatures OF all the states.
OF February q, 1887, Congress re
solved that, in It's opinion, i
was expediepG that on the SECOND
I Monday il May Gext, convention G
! delegates, who shall have been appointe(
b. the several states, be held at Phila
delphia, for the sole and express purpOst
Ct revising the articles OF confederation
! and reporting 10 Congress and the sew
eral Legislatures such alterations arC
provisions therein as shall, when agreed
to IN Congress, and confirmed by III
states, reader the federal constitution
adequate 10 the eXigencies Of governmen
and the preservation Of the Union."
On tGe day here recommended, Ma,
@, I.Ass;-delegate from Virginia and Penn
]. fsyfvania met and adjourned from day t.
day until the 25th, during whic
period delegates from other states mad
IIS4E SPpSaIAuCG, va ludl udG buc uSIt
{ gates Of seven states, duly appointed, be
lug present, the convention was organ
lied by the election Of General Washing
ton as It's president, at the sugge stion c
Franklin. On the IS h the representatio
in the convention was increased TO min
II states; and on the 29th Edmund Raj
T dolph, delegate from Virgins, and Coy
h ernor Of that state, inGugurated the wor
:. of the convention by speech in which b
ii presented an outline OF constitution
s FOR IT'S CONSIDERATION.
e From this time on the convention le
n bored essiduously and without interim:
e sior, until, on the 18th day of September
/ 100 years ago, it closed its wor
l. by presenting a compla'ed iDstru
: ment, which, being subsequent
ratified by the states, became the COZ
stitution Of the United States OF Americ.
All the states except Rhode Islan
: were finally represented III the CONVEX
ten ard lock part in framing the instr
ment, g maj oritY of the delegates OF eaC
> state ssseuIing to it. Thst state sent I
delegate to the convention; end when TT
: constitution was presented to It Tor rat
hCation 10 convention was callad for IN
j. purpose until after it had gone into ope!
ation IS the organic law OF the nation
/ government; ard it w&s two years Defol
she accepted 1t aud became IL reality
; state Of the Union,
Let US consider ro1y the task which II
=; convention undertook to perform, Il
diff ,ulties whica lay in It's Wa7, ami Il
}; success which sttended its efforts.
submitting to Congress- the result